So I look at my stats and I realize no ones getting much past the first chapter. Oh well, to the readers who actually look at the 2nd chappy, I love y'all! Anyway this is the fourth chap, slightly influenced by your reviews but still following the small thing called a plot that I have in my demented head. Anywho. Enjoy.


Dare

Katara scratched at her bandages on her right wrist. It had been two days since Zuko last came to see her and three days since the healer had covered up her cut.

She sighed and leaned against the wall, holding her right hand. Wiggling around in order to make herself comfortable she realized how dirty the cell was. Katara looked at her hands, a dark brown even through her tanned skin.

The girl wrinkled up her nose. "Darn it." she muttered, frowning. She shook her head and took a deep breath, 'There's no use putting it off.' she thought, just as her afternoon meal (cabbage soup) came skidding into her cell.

"Excuse me," she said to the kitchen boy who had brought down her meal. Katara stood up and brushed herself off, then returned her attention to the boy outside her cell. "I'm sorry, but can I have a tub of water? And some towels? I need to take a bath."

Zuko was out on the ships deck, Iroh watching not far behind him. Concentrating his energy, Zuko began to pound out an intricate kata, a series of martial arts movements including kicks, punches and defensive maneuvers, all to most using firebending. The general watched the prince carefully, noting the areas where he could improve.

He nodded as the prince's exercise came to a close and then walked up to the winded boy.

"Not bad nephew," he said, "But you need to add more power behind your defenses, you act almost as if you cannot be touched while you are attacking."

"Sorry uncle," Zuko said, accepting a towel from a nearby soldier. He was wearing his training clothes, a dark red tunic, slightly open at the collar, along with baggy pants and black boots, all of which made for comfort rather than style.

The young firebender returned to the center of the deck again, placing himself into the ready position. He toke a deep breath and was just about to start the kata again when a boy came out on deck, effectively spoiling his concentration.

"Prince Zuko!" the boy yelled out, "Prince Zuko!" The boy ran over to the prince and bowed, his face red from the exercise. "Sorry to disturb you my prince," he said, raising from his bow, his face still flushed. "But it's about the, uh, the," The kitchen hand took a deep breath and pulled himself together under to the Princes hard gaze. He continued in a slightly lower tone.

"The prisoner, sir. She says that she . . . Er . . That is to say." The boys face was still a deep crimson and Zuko was beginning to suspect it had nothing to do with the small amount of running the boy did.

"Spit it out." Zuko muttered as Iroh came up behind him.

"She wants a bath sir." he said quickly, still blushing.

"So what?" he growled, irate at being disturbed. "Just give her some water and a bar of soap. . ." The prince trailed off, his eyes narrowing while behind him Iroh chuckled. "I hate waterbenders." he snarled, glaring at a spot about two feet above the kitchen helpers head.

Ignoring the boy he turned to his Uncle. Iroh smiled and opened his mouth to pass on a few words of advice when Zuko cut him off. "Never mind. I'll see to it myself."

The Dragon of the West smiled as Zuko turned and passed by the kitchen boy, heading down to the cells. Iroh patted the young boys head and walked slowly with him down to the galley. "So what are we having for dinner tonight young man?"

Downstairs Katara was fiddling with her bandage, trying to figure out a way to untie it and then retie it again so that it would stop bothering her. She looked up as the lock turned and the door opened. She stood up, thinking that it was the bath she asked for.

When Katara saw that it was the prince, she was slightly disappointed but gave Zuko a wane smile nonetheless and slid back down the wall. Before she could say anything Zuko walked right up to her and kneeled down, only a foot or so away from her face. "If I let you have a bath." he said, his eyes hard. "Will you swear not to try to destroy my ship or hurt my crew?"

The girl backed up from the prince, unsettled by his steely gaze. Katara noticed his change in outfit, different from the armor she usually saw him in. She nodded and then added, "Can I just say that I won't or do I have to sign in blood?"

"I'll hold you to your word," he said, quickly unlocking Katara's ankles and heading back out to order bath supplies for the girl. The prince then turned back to Katara, "I need to discuss a few things with you," he said, looking somewhat uncomfortable. "So try and hurry up."

Katara raised an eyebrow at the prince's reaction and settled down to wait for her water. She didn't have to be patient very long, two soldiers carrying a simple tub came staggering into the room.

"Thanks," she said, standing up. The soldiers where followed by the kitchen boy carrying some towels and soap. The soldiers and the boy nodded and left, one of the militia members locking the door behind him.

Katara waited until she couldn't hear their feet against the metal of the ship and then started to undress, slipping out of her tunic and under clothes. She slid into the hot water, sighing.

She took the soap and a small washcloth and began to scrub at her dirty skin, making sure to scour every inch. As Katara rubbed at her injured wrist a hiss escaped her as the soap stung her cut.

Dropping the washcloth she gritted her teeth and unwound the wrappings from the wound. She slowly ran a hand over it and gasped as the water from the tub molded around her uninjured arm and hand, making it glow.

Ignoring the sound from outside, ("I'm giving you two more minutes!") she deliberately ran a hand over her cut and watched, amazed, as the wound healed before her eyes. Raising her hand up she examined the healed skin, feeling it with her left hand. Katara shook her head in amazement and reached out for a towel, standing up.

Outside Zuko narrowed his eyes and looked at the ceiling. 'Girls'. He thought. 'Take forever.' The prince knocked lightly on the door and opened the door, his eyes on the ground.

Katara gasped as the prince entered her cell, shock and disbelief etched onto her face.

Zuko looked up, his eyes trailed over the girls legs and body, thankfully covered by a towel. His mouth dropped and his eyes widened as he met her eyes.

"GET OUT!" Katara shrieked, overcoming her original shook and sending a wave of water at the dumbstruck boy. Luckily for the prince he regained his senses quick enough to dart out into the corridor and slam shut the door, feeling the water pound uselessly against the reinforced metal frame.

The prince shook his head and tried furiously to get the girls image out of his head, along with the flush that now graced his cheeks. He leaned against the door and waited a few minutes before knocking again.

"Come in." came the curt reply. Zuko opened the door and entered the room, noticing the water back in the tub. The prince narrowed his eyes. "Excuse me for walking in on you earlier." he said tersely.

Katara nodded. Although still mad at Zuko she wasn't one to hold a grudge. She had put on her leggings, inner tunic and outer robe, but had left off her armguards and boots, it was quite warm and she didn't want to get to sweaty so soon after a shower. Her darker inner tunic tied up at the sleeve ends, although they only came down to slightly past her elbow. Katara glared at the boy and tried to tie up the laces of her tunic. 'How dare that boy walk in on me!' she thought, fuming slightly, 'Boys, I swear.'

Zuko watched, slightly amused, as Katara struggled with the ties. He shook his head and walked over to her, noting the somewhat annoyed look on the girls face.

"Here," Zuko said softly, quickly tying the threads together with a small knot. He reached for her other arm when Katara pulled away from him.

"I can do it myself, thank you." she said managing to get the string in between her teeth and tying it that way. Zuko raised an eyebrow but said nothing, instead he motioned for a few guards that had been in the corridor to come in and take away the tub and bath things. After the men had left, he turned to Katara.

"I need you to tell me everything about the avatar." he said, his eyes narrowing and his face becoming deadly serious. "Everything."

Katara, still a little mad at the boy for walking in on her, even though she had been covered, answered tartly. "Why should I tell you?" she asked turning so her back faced the prince. "The only thing that you want to know about him is how easily you can catch him."

Zuko turned her around by the shoulder and slammed her into the wall, both his hands now pinning her to the metal. "Is that a problem Katara?" he hissed. "I already asked you once," he said, his face contorted, "Now answer me!"

Katara narrowed her own eyes in response. "Fine. He's twelve, he's a boy, he has blue arrow tattoos all over his body, he can airbend, his best friend is a five ton bison -"

Zuko pushed her up against the wall again. "Besides the obvious," he snarled, his face flushing with rage. How dare this girl treat him like this!

"Be more specific," she said lightly, turning her head away from the prince's furious face.

"Fine." Zuko spat out, releasing the girl and walking away toward the door, ticking off topics on his fingers. "Bending, personality, love interest," he smirked at the water bender over his shoulder, "Anything that will be of consequence if a confrontation should take place."

Katara sat on the floor and leaned against the metal paneling, closing her eyes. "He bends air and water. I'm teaching him if you must know. Personality, nice, caring, patient, fun loving." She cracked an eye open and glared at the prince, "The exact opposite of you!" she hissed viciously.

Zuko clenched his fists, his shoulders tense. He said nothing for a few minutes, then "You know nothing about me." he whispered, his voice soft, but with a hint of steel.

"I know enough." Katara replied to the boy, her voice losing its malicious tone. She sighed. "I'm sorry." she said softly. "I, I was mad and it sort of came out." she paused and then stood up to walk in front of the boy. "I didn't mean it." she muttered, looking into Zuko's eyes. The boy frowned and turned away, averting the girls gaze

After a few minutes Katara finally decided. "Look, I said I was sorry, but I'm not going to beg." Zuko turned his head to look at Katara.

"Fine. Forgiven." He took a step toward Katara and put his hands on her shoulders. "Now will you tell me about the avatar?" a pause, then through gritted teeth. "Please?"

The girl smiled slightly. "Since you asked so nicely." she said and then continued. "I can't honestly tell you much, but a few things I do know. He catches onto things quick, so don't do a firebending move twice in five minutes, he'll probably figure out a way to avoid it." she commented. Frowning the water bender thought, noticing that Zuko's hands where still on her shoulders.

"Uhm. . . Personality, I've already told you, he's pretty much a normal kid. Except for the whole avatar thing. Oh and you chasing him constantly really bears down on him." she said, her voice a little softer.

Zuko raised an eyebrow and let his arms drop to his sides. "Alright." he said, turning to leave. He glanced behind him, looking over his prisoner. "What happened to your cut?" he asked, his eyebrows snapping together in a frown. He walked back over to the girl and raised up her wrist. The firebender rested his gaze on Katara's face. "It's completely healed."

Katara smiled again, not really caring that Zuko was holding onto her wrist. "I know. It's great huh?" she giggled at the princes confused expression. "I healed it with my waterbending. Right before you came in actually, I think I was to distracted to notice anything else." The girl blushed and looked at the ground.

Zuko released her wrist and made for the door again. "I'll come down tomorrow." he said. Taking out the keys to the door. Before closing he looked back in on the girl. "No bending, I still hold true to my past threat."

Katara slumped to the floor as the prince left. "Stupid boy." she muttered, falling to the ground. She stared at the ceiling for a few minutes then reached over into a corner and grabbed the heavy cloak Zuko had left for her a few days ago. She spread it over her like a blanket and curled up inside. "If only he wasn't Fire Nation," she muttered, "He might actually be kinda cute when he smiles." She turned over and watched the wall, lettering her mind drift to sleep.

ZaWish Costume change people! Rewind to the morning!

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Aang snapped Appa's reigns lightly, reminding the bison to stay on course. He looked back at where Sokka was lying in Appa's saddle, staring at the sky.

"You really love her, don't you."

Sokka glanced at Aang. "She's my sister, I have to love her." he looked back at the sky. "And my younger sister, that means I have to protect her too." He suddenly sat up, angry. "If that piece of Fire Nation filth dares to lay a single finger of Katara I'll-" Sokka pantomimed strangling a person in midair.

Aang's face creased with worry. "What if we don't find them Sokka?" he asked. "What if they get caught in a storm or if they get attacked by pirates or if-"

"Hey, hey, hey." Sokka said, cutting Aang off. "We'll catch them Aang, don't worry you little tattooed head about it." Sokka nodded, patting the boys head. "I made a promise to look after her." he said, a hard expression on his face. "I plan to keep it."

Aang looked back at Sokka and shuddered. The expression on his face was one to give even a Fire Prince nightmares.

"Yip yip!" Aang said, shaking the reigns.


Aargh! Sorry it took so long guys, I had these end of grading period tests and all this other crap to study for. But it's up now, so don't kill me ne? Alright. Vote! In character or out of character!

Tell me what you think . . .Sokka's a little funny ne? In response to my reviewers (I love ya'll)

-Kimono - I think Zuko's a little OoC too, having a hostage on board does that to a guy.

Patience - Yay! Excellent job with Katara! Yay!

Night - Thanks, I think that this one is longer, sorry you had to wait so long.

Meems - I work hard with my grammer and junk, that's all. (Thank Ra for spell check.) Misunderstanding huh? I already done got some! (Grammar check; Overload OVERLOAD!)

Cello - Await no longer soloist!

Anywho vote and review!

Heart Bender.